March 19, 2025
Winter is the ultimate stress test for your home's energy efficiency! When temperatures drop, your house works harder to keep you warm, and weaknesses in insulation, air sealing, or heating systems become painfully clear.
Now that the coldest months are behind us, it's the perfect time to reflect on how your home performed and take steps to improve its energy efficiency before next winter arrives.
Common Winter Energy Efficiency Problems
1. Cold Drafts & Uneven Temperatures
Is your house cold and drafty in the winter? Do some rooms feel much colder than others, even when your thermostat is turned all the way up? These are clear signs that your home has air leaks and poor insulation.
Installing new insulation and air sealing your home will solve these problems. Insulation holds heat inside your home and creates more consistent room-to-room temperatures, while air sealing closes off drafty areas. Insulation also keeps your home cooler in the summer, so you’ll see benefits year-round.
2. High Heating Bills
Were your heating bills out of control this winter? Energy costs are rising, which is unavoidable, but your house could be making the problem worse. If your house loses too much heat due to poor insulation and air sealing, old windows, or an inefficient heating system, your bills will skyrocket.
An energy audit can show you exactly how your house is losing energy so you can make targeted improvements that save you money.
3. Ice Dams on Your Roof
Icicles hanging from your roof might look pretty, but they’re a sign of a serious problem—ice dams. Ice dams form when warm air escapes into the attic, melting snow that then refreezes, creating a “dam” along the roofline. Water will build up behind it, which can lead to expensive roof damage, leaks, and water damage.
If you noticed signs of ice dams on your roof this winter, you need better attic insulation! Spring is the perfect time to make this upgrade. It will keep your house cooler during the summer and, when next winter rolls around, you won’t have to worry about ice dams.
4. Dry Indoor Air
Dry air is a sign that your house is not maintaining a proper humidity level. That can lead to itchy skin, dry eyes, and throat irritation. It can also damage your home by cracking and warping wood components.
Making sure your house is properly insulated, air sealed, and ventilated will help with humidity control.
5. Water in Your Basement or Crawl Space
A damp basement or crawl space is not a problem you want to ignore in your home. Melting snow can reveal hard-to-see foundation cracks and leaks that let moisture into the bottom of your home.
Sealing your crawl space or basement will close up cracks, keeping moisture out and preventing serious issues like water damage, wood rot, and mold.
The Solution? A Whole Home Approach
Many homeowners try to solve energy efficiency issues one upgrade at a time—sealing a few windows, adding insulation to one area, or replacing the heating and cooling system. All of these upgrades can help, but fixing one problem in isolation usually leaves hidden inefficiencies unaddressed or even creates new issues.
For example, adding insulation without proper air sealing can trap moisture, leading to mold or rot. Upgrading a heating system without addressing duct leaks or insulation gaps may result in uneven heating and persistent drafts. Without a whole-home approach, you’ll be playing whack-a-mole with energy issues—solving one problem only to uncover another.
A whole-home approach considers how every part of your home works together. By evaluating insulation, air sealing, HVAC performance, ventilation, and moisture control as a complete system, we ensure that improvements complement each other for maximum efficiency and comfort. Instead of treating symptoms, we address the root causes, leading to better energy efficiency, lower energy bills, and a healthier, more comfortable home.
Take Action Now for Year-Round Benefits
Now is the perfect time to take what winter has taught you and make energy-saving improvements. Weatherization Services is Milwaukee’s only full-service home performance contractor. We offer comprehensive energy efficiency solutions tailored to your home’s needs. Whether you’re looking to upgrade insulation, air seal your home, or improve HVAC efficiency, our team is here to help you find the most effective improvements.